Forever Forest

Chapter 8

"Where are we?" She demanded the second she came within eye contact with her fathers thick bearded face and dim grey eyes.

"What is the forest, this random cabin. We didn't live here when I was younger, why move?"

Her father looked up from a book.

"You were bullied at the school Terra don't you remember?" His gruffness indicated his unawareness of the seriousness in her tone.

"I know that!" She yelled in frustration, tears pricking at her eyes. confusion was hitting her like an arrow at a target. A confusion she could not understand.

"But why... here, why this very cabin, this random place in the middle of some creepy strange forest. I mean really father will we ever be able to leave this stupid forest? Will I ever meet another normal child again in my life or will I live and die here!" She yelled, warm tears forming.

Her father stood, red hair gleaming in the dim cabin light. "Did you encounter someone during your hunt?"

She stared at him. "What if I did?"

She followed his eyes to the daisy bracelet clasped around her wrist. Daisies that were now grey and dead. Up until now she'd hidden her gifts from his view. Now there was no need to. She wrenched it off and flung it into the trash.

Her father sat back down slightly shaking the table as she began to pace the room. "Then I'd say they were feeding you lies." Her father answered shortly. "Which reminds me, did you fetch our dinner or were you too busy making forest friends my darling. I'd like to not starve tonight."

His lack of care and avoidance in her question infuriated her. She shook her head.

"What is this forest even called father?"

He studied her, still and silent.

What was he hiding? Why couldn't he tell her. Why couldn't he comfort her, remind her these were all the lies of childhood. 

Imagination. 

Tears slid their way down her cheeks.

He stood from his chair.

"Now Terra stop that you must understand, coming here was the safest option for you. Those children at school would never understand you."

"And why is that father? You've got something to say then just tell it straight. Tell me i'm different, tell me I'd never fit in because I was lost believing in some stupid, stupid fantasy story!"

"It's called the Forever Forest."

She rested a palm against her forehead in frustration.

"Oh, next you'll start telling me the god and goddess Mrithun and Enid are real as well right?" She began to turn just as her father stood from the table. He wrapped his large burly arms around her shoulders.

"Now I understand. My dear, the name of the forest is just that. Only a name, its story is but a made up folktale told by the oldest of elders to calm their children. None of it is real. "

Her tears were warm but her father's arms were warmer, she rested her chin against them, tired from the day. Finally he comforted her. And finally she could tell herself she believed him.

"There was a blue haired boy. My friend. An imagined one I suppose as he was not what I thought." She turned to hug her father properly, his expression was layered with concern. "Don't worry father, I won't be visiting him again for a long long time."

He nodded. "I believe you my dear. Now go get some rest, it's getting late. We will eat our rabbit in the morning"

Terra returned up the stairs and back to her room. She flung herself onto the bed and turned her head to study herself in the vertical mirror in the corner. She looked exhausted. Terra was surprised her father wasn't more concerned about her visitings with a strange boy from the woods. She sat up and looked to the window, the path of dead brush was just faintly visible before it disappeared into the dark forest. dead plants; proof that the forest was not immortal as the stories had said. She smiled and rested her head against her bed.